Being a Banner [ 1 of JA ]

5

Ms. Bullock puts me at left side, and Jax and Levi greet me with a high-five boy style. Willa goes to the right, as three more kids are put on sides. Colorful dodge balls are lined up in the middle of the room. Ms. Bullock walks to the side and starts getting ready to blow the whistle. I see that Shannon, her 'friends', and some jocks are on the other side.
"Who you goin' for?" Levi asks me, bouncing like he's Rocky getting ready for a fight. I look out at the opposing team. Shannon probably thinks I'm going at her first. Her ugly 'I'm going to beat your ass' face stares coldly at me. "Uh... I don't know. Oh, and don't go right up to the line, you're gonna get out." I tell Levi. Levi scoffs and rolls his eyes. My eyes are set on a green dodgeball that looks to be in the middle of the line of balls. They may be colorful, but they hurt like — .

"GO!" Ms. Bullock cries. The next second is like a stampede. Kids are running towards the line of dodge balls, and getting every weak player out. I stay back, hoping Levi and Jax are still in. Some strong kids are in still... Jocks are still in... All the 'nerds' are out... The 'popular' kids still remain in. Why does it seem like I'm the oddball? A red dodgeball rolls to my feet. Keeping my eyes up, and making sure nobody hits me, I grab the rough rubber ball. I need to find someone who isn't paying attention... Willa is in the back cowering... No, I can't hit her, she's too nice. I notice one of Shannon's 'friends' isn't paying attention. Thrusting the ball in her direction, it hits her in the stomach. She doesn't go down in pain, she just gives me a hard glare that I ignore.
Shannon and her other 'friend' realize I got her out, and now, both try to aim for me. There's only three kids on the right side and four — wait... Now make that three against three. I see the fourth kid jog out, as it's now Jax, Levi, and I on the left, and on the right it's Shannon, her other 'friend', and a jock. I have a pink dodgeball in my hand, while Levi has three, and Jax is picking up his third. The jock throws his dodgeball at Jax. Dropping the dodge balls from his hands, Jax waves as he jogs off the court.

The jock is laughing, so as Levi is trying to hit the girls, I hurl a ball at the jock square in the chest. He looks at me dumbfounded. I give him a shrug and a smirk, as I pick up another ball. Levi gets Shannon's 'friend' out. Feeling so proud he comes up to tell me.
"I took her out!" He says, jumping.
I scoff, "Only if I could believe that." He gives me an irritated look.
"That wasn't a good — " Levi gets hit in the arm by a pink ball that Shannon threw. He grunts and walks off the court, whispering to me, "Take that blonde bitch out." I look at Shannon, who's trying to aim at me. She throws the ball and it hits the ground; my heart beats fast, and starts to ache.

It's okay, calm down... You can throw the ball, you're okay. Gripping the rubber, I throw the ball, and it flys right inti Shannon's stomach. Wow... I've never thrown a ball that fast. The whistle blows and an angry Shannon stomps off the court. I'm amazed at how competitive she is. I guess it's not only looks she's worried about. Jax and Levi come to high five me. "Nice," they say. Some other kids tell me great job, and Shannon's people walk right pass me, heading to the bathroom. "Change!" Ms. Bullock yells.

After getting my clothes on, I exit the stall with my hand still in my gym bag. I can't find my beanie. Tousling my sweaty gym clothes around, I look deeper into my bag, and in the front pockets. The grey beanie is nowhere in my bag. My heart beats fast. It's just a hat... Its just a hat... It's just a hat
— but it's my mom's hat! That inanimate object is the only thing I value and take good care of. Dad said it was the only thing he had left of Mom. Seeing pink heels from the corner of my eye, I look up, and turn to see Shannon, holding my beanie.

"Hey!" I yell. Walking up to Shannon, I reach for my hat, but she pulls it back, and holds it up as if I was a child reaching for a toy. "Give me that!"
"Why?" Shannon asks. Her two 'friends' surround me, as I'm stuck in their triangle.
"Because it's mine!" I cry like a child, still trying to reach it. Shannon throws it over me and Friend One catches it. "Come on!" I groan, my heart beats a little faster since I'm turning every which way. Shannon's friend throws it to Friend Two of the triangle. I fumble moving to her, but the Friend One yells, "Stacy over here!"

Now, Stacy, throws it back to the Friend One.
"Dina!" Shannon shouts. Dina, throws it back to Shannon. My half-sweaty hair sticks to my half-sweaty face. I brush strands out of my face, watching wherever my beanie may be thrown next. "Give it back!" I scream, reaching for it once more.
"Why do you care about it so much?" Shannon asked, in a very taunting and irritating voice. She's talking to me like I'm a child because of my age, because she thinks she's stronger than me. I'm freakin tired of this! Grabbing Shannon's shirt collar, I push forward, and force her back up against the wall. Her feet dangle an inch or two off the ground.

"I SAID GIVE IT BACK!" I yell. My voice turned raspy and it cracked in the most inhumanly way possible. Shannon's eyes widened, as I finally let go of her collar. I snatch my beanie from her hands, grab my bag, and walk out like nothing had ever happened.

*************

The morning goes by pretty fast. I try to forget about what happened in the girls' bathroom today. My name hasn't been called over the speaker, and I've been very jumpy every time a person up in the office talks into it. Thinking my principal was calling me up to the office, she was asking for students in Student Council, and I totally jumped in my seat in English.

Right now, I sit at lunch, and for the first time in a long time, I can't finish my sandwich.
"Kerry," Jax says. I look at him. "Hm?" I ask.
"This is the fifth time I've said your name," he says, chuckling.
"Congrats! You can count!" I retort. Levi looks at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Are you ok?" He asks, then he leaned in closer towards me. "Is it something about your dad?"
I look at him. "No,"
"It can't be, she practically fell out of her seat today in English." Jax pointed out. Great. Just great.
"Oh yeah, that was hysterical," Levi chuckles as he dipped his French fries in cheese.

"So, what's up?" Jax asks. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing," I reply, my voice shaky.
"Kerry, you're looking down," Jax says. "You look down when you're not happy, or you're hiding something." Dang. He's got me down just like a best friend should. Levi leaned in closer again. "Are you on your Lady Week?" He asks. I glare at him.
"Ask me that three days from now." I say. Jax almost chokes on his corndog, and Levi makes a disgusted face. "Look, don't worry 'bout it, I'm fine."

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Hurray for more editing! I hope these are better than what they were
Oh well I'm Tired
See ya ✌🏻️